. >> reporter: of course the president would like to go to hawaii for the annual vacation. lawmakers would like to go home to be with families over christmas holidays. threatening to work through the holidays may get some people's attention, jon. jon: we haven't heard from the president so far today as far as i know. we heard from house democrats. what are they saying. >> reporter: we heard from leading house democrats, social security is off the table. the president says so. they are pushing republicans in the house to take up a vote on bush middle class tax cuts which obviously the republicans also want but want it is a part of a bigger deal. here is more from a leading democrat a short time ago. >> what about jobs? what are you guys doing down there? and the hard truth is speaker boehner has a difficult task. i believe that he will succeed in bringing his conference around. >> reporter: so a bit of optimism from a leading house democrat there, jon. jon: optimism is in short supply these days. we'll take all of it that we can get i guess. mike emanuel, thanks. >> reporter